Meta’s recent decision to allow more hateful and harmful speech online in the name of free speech, as well as to eliminate fact-checking on Facebook, Threads and Instagram is a significant setback. This decision risks serious harm to marginalized and vulnerable communities and compounds emerging risks from AI.

“While fact-checking is not a panacea for truth or trust, it is a critical part of defending fact from falsehood, holding the powerful to account, and fighting a blurring of truth and lies,” said Sam Gregory, Executive Director of WITNESS. “While content moderation decisions can go wrong, more often they are about preventing harm and hate and providing information to people to help make their own judgements on the information they consume. We still need platform accountability and content moderation grounded in global realities and human rights. In the dawning AI age, this need is greater than ever.”

Meta’s decision reflects a disregard for the voices and needs of those most impacted by the threats it poses. Marginalized and vulnerable communities are often the first and most profoundly affected by deceptive and false information and hate speech, as well as by real and coercive censorship by their governments. WITNESS’ allies and partners in Myanmar know that all too well, as do immigrant and LGBTQI+ communities in the US and globally. Rather than creating mechanisms to amplify how vulnerable communities, human rights defenders and frontline fact-checkers protect themselves, fortify the truth and confront lies, Meta’s recent actions go in the opposite direction and exacerbate risks.

For over three decades, WITNESS has helped people around the world use video and technology to defend human rights and share trustworthy information. While digital tools have increased the ability of civic witnesses, journalists, and ordinary people to document and expose abuses, they have also been increasingly weaponized to disrupt civil society, perpetuate hate speech, and endanger rights defenders and journalists.

New technologies, such as artificial intelligence-based tools, have heightened these challenges, enabling the creation of convincing simulations of authentic media, including sophisticated and subtle audio and video manipulations – which can further undermine trust and create new avenues for mis- and disinformation. 

“The very same communities WITNESS works with are the ones with the least access and capacity to confront these new mechanisms for creating falsehoods,” said Sam Gregory. “We have already seen how the existing fact-checking community globally is disadvantaged in the fight to detect both AI-generated deception and claims by the powerful that reality has been falsified with AI. Further undermining and attacking them compounds this challenging situation.”

At WITNESS, we believe that the future of AI content creation, dissemination, and moderation – and decisions about how it will help or harm vulnerable communities globally, how safeguards will be implemented, and how authenticity and synthesis are communicated to people – are directly related to the decisions being made today about social media content moderation. Meta’s actions reflect a troubling trend of prioritizing corporate convenience, proximity to authoritarian power, and an unnuanced claim of freedom of speech over legitimate accountability and the safety of marginalized communities.

We are committed to challenging the power structures in the technology sector that perpetuate harm to human rights defenders and community journalists. This commitment is especially urgent as we navigate the implications of recent political shifts, such as the new Trump administration in the US, which is poised to exert significant influence over technology companies and AI governance – as exemplified by Meta’s recent announcement.

Learn more about WITNESS’ efforts to shape technology for human rights here and how you can get involved here.

Today, the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) recognized WITNESS’ Yvonne Ng with the Alan Stark Award for her contributions to archival work with WITNESS and the AMIA. 

The Alan Stark Award recognizes “individuals who have made a significant contribution through their efforts on a special project that contributes to, and supports, the work of moving image archives and/or AMIA.” 

The Association specifically recognizes Yvonne’s work as Senior Program Manager at WITNESS, and her work on WITNESS’ Activists’ Guide to Archiving Video as “an invaluable tool for media collectives, grassroots human rights organizations, and human rights activists to ensure their work can be used for advocacy, as evidence, for education, and for historical memory.

Archives Program Manager, Yvonne Ng accepts the Alan Stark Award for significant contribution to moving image archival work.

“I think, with the unique technical expertise and historical knowledge found in our community we can act, each of us in our own way, on proliferating skills and knowledge on audiovisual preservation among communities who are concerned about saving their videos and being able to use them, and in expanding media literacy around new video technologies that have the potential to help or hurt us.” -Yvonne Ng, accepting the Alan Stark Award

Yvonne has been involved with the AMIA and archiving work for over 20 years. She leads the video archiving program at WITNESS where she helped co-create the Rohingya Genocide Archive, collaborated with Berkely Copwatch on a video database for police misconduct, trained activists and video-workers in archiving practices, and created easily accessible archiving resources and tipsheets in multiple languages for communities and human rights defenders around the world. 

To learn more about Yvonne’s work, you can visit WITNESS’ archiving resources and tipsheets here.

To learn more about the Association of Moving Image Archivists, please visit their website here.

At WITNESS, we believe documentation is key to securing justice, accountability, and lasting change. 

In response to the ongoing atrocities in Palestine and the Middle East, over the past year, our team has focused on developing and providing guidance for those documenting the devastating civilian harm caused by Israeli airstrikes, and supporting groups and activists risking their lives to capture these attacks and their consequences on camera.

Read on to learn more about the tools we’ve developed and how you can support this work.

Documenting Airstrikes & Munitions

Aerial and missile attacks in densely populated areas not only destroy buildings but also wreak havoc on civilian lives. Capturing the full scope of this devastation is essential for holding perpetrators accountable and influencing policies related to the arms trade.

WITNESS is currently developing new guidance focused on documenting the aftermath of airstrikes in conflict zones and the harm they inflict on civilian infrastructure and lives. This resource provides step-by-step tips for those documenting on the frontlines, with a focus on safety, accuracy, and ethical documentation, as well as on identifying violations of international law.

The first section of this guidance covers documenting blast sites, structural damage, and munitions and is part of a comprehensive resource set to be released in 2025. If you are interested in reviewing the draft in English or Arabic and offering feedback to help us refine this guidance, please get in touch at mena@witness.org.

Gaza Media Resources

WITNESS also joined its partners and formed the Gaza Crisis Response coalition and helped launch the Gaza Media Resources suite, an open-access library designed to support those combating misinformation, hate speech, and incitement to violence. 

This platform – which will soon be updated with our new guidance on documenting airstrikes and munitions – aims to empower practitioners to document, debunk false narratives, archive and preserve critical content, and better prepare communities to cope with the effects of war-induced trauma.

Explore and share the resource library at Gaza Media Resources, and use and follow #GazaMediaResources for updates and contributions from our partners and community. 

Get Involved 

Follow WITNESS on social media for updates and other opportunities to take action.

For updates on our work in the Middle East and North Africa, follow us on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

For updates on WITNESS’ global work, also follow us on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

Additionally, you can explore WITNESS’ Resources Library, which features guidance related to our work in the Middle East, as well as a diverse array of resources from various regions and available in multiple languages.

You can also follow our Gaza Crisis Response coalition partners for more updates and resources: 7amleh, Smex, and Meedan.

Your voice matters. Help us spread the word by sharing campaign content, using hashtags like #EyesOnPalestine and #EyesOnArms, and encouraging others to join the effort. Together, we can amplify the powerful work of those documenting human rights abuses and push for real change.

REGISTER HERE

As part of NYC Climate Week, WITNESS, Black Indigenous Liberation Movement (BILM), and Dandelions invite you for an inspiring evening of community conversation and film screenings featuring Indigenous women life protectors.

From the epidemic of murdered and missing Indigenous women in the United States to the defense of water and spirituality in Guatemala, and the diverse struggles of Indigenous women across Brazil’s biomes, these 3 short films will reveal the profound connections between land, life, and the fight against environmental and gender-based violence.

Through the powerful voices and stories of Lucía Ixchíu, Shirley Krenak, Carmen Victoria Álvarez Medrano, Elaine Yellow Horse, and Prairie Rose Seminole, we will explore the critical roles Indigenous women play in safeguarding their lands and addressing the gender-based violence they face in their territories. Priscila Tapajowara, esteemed filmmaker of the Tapajó people in the Amazon and the President of Midia Indigena Oficial, will guide this evening’s conversation. 

Together, we will center Indigenous women-led storytelling, both in the film industry and within broader communication strategies, as we work to build a future rooted in justice and sustainability.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with and support the voices of those at the front of leading solutions to the climate crisis and protecting life. We look forward to seeing you there! 

We are honored to be joined by the following speakers:

Lucia Ixchíu: K’iche, tree of the Forest, anti-patriarchal, journalist and Indigenous storyteller (Mayan in exile) Indigenous coordinator for the Black Indigenous Liberation Movement, and coordinator for international advocacy in Festivales Solidarios.

Prairie Rose Seminole: Northern Cheyenne, Arikara and Dakota. Seminole is an educator, organizer, culture bearer and storyteller. She is the Co-Director of the film, We Ride For Her- a short documentary on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. Seminole has served on the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, Midwest Advisory Board, and the Fargo Human Relations Commission. She currently serves on the Olamina Fund Advisory Board, the Midwest Innocence Project Board, Gender Justice US and Humanities ND and chairs the ND Native Caucus. Prairie Rose has been a part of efforts, institutions, and organizations that have seeded, supported, and strengthened public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement on local, state, and national levels. Prairie Rose grew up in North Dakota and is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of ND on the Fort Berthold Reservation. She lives with her partner, their 7 dogs and 10 horses in White Shield ND. 

Elaine Yellow Horse: Elaine Yellow Horse is a proud Oglala Lakota Winyan and the daughter of Roberta “Marlette” Thunder Horse and Jamie Yellow Horse. She grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation, located in South Dakota, in the small community of Wounded Knee. After working as a tribal prosecutor, Elaine returned to school to pursue a law degree, which she completed at the University of South Dakota (J.D. ’22). Since graduating, Elaine has dabbled in the fields of tribal government, nonprofits, and higher education. Most recently, she has been offered a position at Oglala Lakota College to teach the Tribal law courses. While doing this, she is also working on her debut memoir, expected in early 2025. Elaine lives in Rapid City with her spouse and children. Everything she does is with the hope that her generation will thrive.

Carmen Victoria Alvarez Medrano: Carmen Alvarez is a Maya K’iche Woman and the Founder of K’iyarem Tiempo-Evolución to expand the Maya calendar.

Shirley Krenak: Shirley Krenak belongs to the Krenak people, and she is an activist and writer trained in Social Communication. She is the president of the Shirley Djukurnã Krenak Institute, which develops various activities in the environmental, educational, social, and cultural areas. Author of the book “The protective Jaguar”, she also coordinates the project “Sons que Curam” (Sounds that heal) whose essence captures the humming of birds and the noises of the forests, in order to promote the healing of hearing and the strengthening of the call of Mother Earth. She recently received an honorary doctorate by The Federal University of Juiz de Fora for her impact in the educational and activist world. Shirly Krenak is widely known in the indigenous movement fighting for native rights and land demarcation. She is one of the founders of ANMIGA – National Articulation of Indigenous Women Warriors of Ancestry, where she works and one of the “biome women ”. Internationally, Shirley Krenak has developed different projects regarding publication of books, sound projects, lectures, and more recently she became a strong voice against climate change, taking part in different conferences of the UN Organization.

Priscila Tapajowara: Priscila Tapajowara is from the Tapajó people, one of the 13 peoples of the lower Tapajós River region, in the Brazilian Amazon. She is an indigenous activist, climate activist, photographer, producer of audiovisual content and co-coordinator of Mídia India.

Our report analyzes the impact of synthetic media on the information landscape, offering an evidence-based perspective beyond the hype surrounding deepfakes. It also looks at future trends in technology, conflict, and security, explaining core AI techniques and analyzing real-world cases, to understand emerging threats in the information landscape as well as conflict dynamics.

The research underscores the need for international collaboration to develop standards and safeguards that can mitigate the disruptive potential of synthetic media in conflict settings. 

This forward-looking report investigates the evolving relationship between synthetic media and the information landscape in situations of armed conflict and widespread violence, with a particular focus on implications for conflict resolution and peace processes. Our analysis anticipates that advancements in audiovisual generative AI over the next 2 to 3 years could have notable implications for global security and stability. Yet, the intersection of generative AI and conflict dynamics remains underexplored, highlighting an urgent need for comprehensive exploration and understanding that prioritizes evidence-based analysis and does not succumb to hyperbolic rhetoric.

You can read the full report, outlining actionable steps for governments, the UN, other international bodies, and NGOs to tackle these challenges, here: wit.to/genai_conflictresolution

To learn more about WITNESS’s work on fortifying the truth in the age of generative AI, visit: gen-ai.witness.org

“Over the course of the last thirty years WITNESS has helped millions of people use video to expose the truth and fight injustice. And now, in the age of AI and deepfakes, we make sure that journalists and human rights defenders can still be trusted, believed, and acted upon.” –Sam Gregory, Executive Director, accepts the Peabody Award for Global Impact on behalf of WITNESS

In his acceptance speech in LA, Executive Director Sam Gregory emphasized that this award is shared with “our partners and the millions of frontline witnesses…who are land defenders, cop watchers, war crimes investigators, citizen journalists, community media, and ordinary people caught in conflict who stand up for their rights.”

He also thanked co-founder Peter Gabriel for his visionary work “long before we all had mobile phones in our pockets” and WITNESS’ longstanding allies and supporters, without whom our work would not be possible.

Executive Director Sam Gregory, alongside Deputy Executive Director Shantha Rau Barriga, former Executive Director Yvette Alberdingk-Thijm, and Board Co-Chair Adelin Cai attended the 84th Peabody Awards in LA on June 9th to accept the Global Impact Award. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Peabody Awards)

WITNESS is grateful to Peabody for this recognition, which comes at a pivotal moment. The integrity and impact of critical video is under attack like never before. What happens when the courageous voices of journalists and activists can be drowned-out, diminished, and attacked? Or when audio-visual evidence gathered at great risk by human rights defenders and communities can be dismissed as fake? How do we establish the authenticity of video when the truth is always in question?

As we face the challenges of deepfakes and deceptive AI, WITNESS fights to defend the truth and trust in what we see and hear. 

We are committed to defending the power of video to change the world at every level–from the design, development, and deployment of technologies to the policies and laws that govern them–WITNESS ensures that technology works for, and not against, human rights.

In today’s digital age, the influx of open-source information has become increasingly vital in the pursuit of accountability and justice, particularly in the realms of human rights, humanitarian law, and international criminal law. Recognising the critical role that digital open source imagery plays in legal proceedings and fact-finding missions, a collective of legal scholars, human rights advocates, and experts in open source investigations have come together to produce a groundbreaking resource: ‘Evaluating Digital Open Source Imagery: A Guide for Judges and Fact-Finders.’

The guide is the result of a collaboration between WITNESS and leading institutions including Queen Mary University of London, Open Society Justice Initiative, University of California Berkeley, Mnemonic, Swansea University, University of Essex, University of Oxford, and the Hertie School Centre for Fundamental Rights. This pioneering guide seeks to demystify the complex process of evaluating digital open-source imagery. At its core, the guide aims to equip judges, fact-finders, and decision-makers with the necessary tools to assess the credibility, reliability, and probative value of open source evidence effectively. 

Speaking on the launch of the guide, Associate Director at WITNESS, Raquel Vazquez Llorente,  said: “As generative AI and digital manipulation techniques become increasingly sophisticated, digital evidence emerges as both a powerful investigative tool and a potential pitfall. We designed our guide to equip judges and fact-finders with the essential knowledge needed to expertly discern the authenticity of digital evidence and uphold the integrity of modern legal processes.” Earlier this year, Raquel published an article in the SciTech Lawyer Magazine of the American Bar Association, delving deeper into the impact of deepfakes and synthetic media in international justice.

Designed as a comprehensive resource, the guide covers a range of key issues relevant to the evaluation of digital open-source information, including authenticity verification, metadata analysis, and source validation. By providing clear definitions, practical examples, and insightful guidance, the guide enables users to make informed assessments and decisions when confronted with open-source evidence. 

“Digital open-source information has emerged as a powerful tool in the pursuit of accountability,” says Dr. Daragh Murray, Queen Mary University. “However, its utilisation presents unique challenges for legal professionals. This guide represents a milestone in addressing these challenges and empowering judges and fact-finders to navigate the complexities of open source evidence.” Hadi Al Khatib, Mnemonic says: “We hope that this guide will assist judicial bodies in understanding and evaluating digital open source evidence, crucial for advancing accountability and justice in our digital age.”

“This guide fills a crucial gap in the legal landscape,” notes Prof. Yvonne McDermott Rees, Swansea University. “For the first time, judges and fact-finders have access to a dedicated resource that equips them with the knowledge and tools necessary to evaluate digital open source information effectively.”

Prof. Başak Cali, Professor of International Law at the Hertie School and University of Oxford says, “This Guide, by making the complex and technical terrain of open-source evidence more accessible for judges and fact finders, will bring us closer to ensuring accountability for human rights violations around the world.”

Released on Monday 20 May 2024, ‘Evaluating Digital Open-Source Imagery: A Guide for Judges and Fact-Finders’ represents a pivotal advancement in the field of legal practice and human rights advocacy. Its availability in multiple languages, including English, Ukrainian, Arabic, French, and Spanish, ensures accessibility to a global audience.

The guide is accessible online at https://www.trueproject.co.uk/osguide, with a launch event scheduled for Friday 24 May 2024, 3:30-5pm at Inner Temple, Crown Office Row, Temple, London EC4Y 7HL (RSVP here). 

Further events surrounding the guide will be held globally. If you would like to find out more about these events, or wish to attend or host an event, please contact: jacobo@witness.org. For media interviews or more information on this release, contact Fatima Anwar: fatima@witness.org

For over 80 years, Peabody has recognized storytelling excellence around the most pressing social issues of our times. For over 30 years, WITNESS has empowered people to harness the power of video and technology to tell their own stories, document human rights violations, and push for change. 

We are humbled to be a part of this tremendous legacy – recognizing this has been a year of extraordinary courage by journalists and frontline witnesses who have documented injustice, amplified resistance, and held a mirror to power around the world. Throughout our work, WITNESS has partnered with nearly 600 human rights groups, trained over 10,000 activists in 130+ countries, and reached millions with our digital resources on video-based strategies for justice.

“We share this recognition with our partners and the frontline journalists and communities who have, at great risk to themselves and with inspiring ingenuity, used video and technology to defend human rights the world over.” – Sam Gregory, Executive Director

From putting the power of video in people’s hands by distributing cameras three decades ago, to being at the forefront of defending the trust-basis of video in the age of deepfakes and AI, WITNESS ensures that technology works for, not against, human rights and democracy. 

Today, WITNESS fights to fortify the truth and defend the integrity and impact of critical video and storytelling . In the midst of a mega global election year affecting more than 40% of the world’s population, this award is particularly timely and spotlights the importance of centering underrepresented voices, preserving truth, and combating the threats of deceptive AI and mis- and disinformation. 

We are thrilled to join the 84th Peabody awards ceremony in Los Angeles on June 9th along with an inspiring class of nominees being recognized for telling stories that matter. You may read the full Peabody Awards announcement here. 

Shantha comes to WITNESS from Human Rights Watch, where she was the Founding Director of the disability rights division, overseeing research and advocacy on the rights of people with disabilities and older people around the world. Shantha also served as interim co-Deputy Executive Director, helping to manage the over 500-person organization during a leadership transition. Throughout a career spanning over two decades, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and brings to WITNESS rich experience in leadership of global teams. She has documented and reported on human rights abuses in dozens of countries, and has extensive advocacy and media experience. Her talk on how to end stigma against people with disabilities is featured on TED. You can read her full bio here.

I’m honored to join WITNESS in its mission to fortify the truth at such a pivotal moment when deepfakes and AI threaten the very foundations of our information ecosystem. For years, I’ve admired WITNESS’s approach of centering and supporting grassroots activists and communities to harness the power of video and technology to end human rights abuses. I’m excited to be a part of this visionary organization.  

– Shantha Rau Barriga, incoming Deputy Executive Director

Leandro Ramos is a journalist and activist based out of São Paulo, Brazil. He is joining WITNESS after serving as the Program Director at Greenpeace Brasil, where he led the organization’s Campaigns, Communications, Legal, and Political teams. Prior to joining Greenpeace, Leandro worked for a decade with All Out, an international organization utilizing technology to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights globally. During his time at Greenpeace and All Out, Leandro headed wide ranging campaigns on human rights and environmental issues – while also collaborating with grassroots activists on local campaigns and training programs in complex contexts. You can read his full bio here.

WITNESS has continuously evolved to adapt and respond to significant shifts in the video landscape, understanding how those changes impact the fight for human rights around the world. As emerging technologies bring forth new challenges and opportunities, WITNESS is entering another pivotal phase of its evolution – and I am thrilled to be part of this exciting new chapter for the organization.

– Leandro Ramos, incoming Global Programs Director 

Under Shantha and Leandro’s leadership, WITNESS is looking forward to deepening our impact and learning from their experiences and deep commitment to human rights. 

Please join us in welcoming Shantha and Leandro to the WITNESS team.

We’re fast approaching a world where widespread, hyper-realistic deepfakes lead us to dismiss reality, says technologist and human rights advocate Sam Gregory. What happens to democracy when we can’t trust what we see? Learn three key steps to protecting our ability to distinguish human from synthetic — and why fortifying our perception of truth is crucial to our AI-infused future.

Visit the TED Democracy program here.

Read our broader principles and recommendations derived from decades of anticipatory global work to prepare not panic for deepfakes and AI.

To keep up to date with WITNESS’ work on deepfakes and generative AI visit: gen-ai.witness.org.